To Follow the Trail of Tears
by ChaotikElement
Summary: Kenji, the son of Kenshin has always had a grudge against his father, desiring more power than Kenshin could ever have, but Kenji has yet to learn of the true past of his father as this story explores how Kenji not only finds his own path, but starts to a


Authoress:*yawns*  
  
Kenji: So... okay... what is this story about?  
  
Authoress: *pokes him in the nose* You! You're my favorite!  
  
Kenshin: Oro... what do I get to do...?  
  
Authoress: Oh, even though you used to be my favorite character... in this you are... dead...  
  
Kenshin: X_X  
  
Authoress: *pokes him with reverse blade sword* Hey! KENSHIN! YOU'RE NOT REALLY DEAD!  
  
Kenji: Um... I think you're making it worse...  
  
Authoress: Fiiine! I'll let him be! But he was supposed to do my disclaimer...  
  
Kenji: So that's more important than his life...  
  
Authoress: At the moment yes... well anyway, I do not own the Kenshin-gumi and I am building off where the series officially ended, so a lot of the character's will be aged, and I will be making up groups of characters, but all of the olds ones will make appearances! Well except for the dead ones... *pokes Kenshin*  
  
Kenji: -_- You are so cruel...  
  
Authoress: *sweatdrop* ******  
  
In a darkened room, the only light beamed through the paper screen door, sat a very recognizable face, looking more serious than what it was known for. The serene blue eyes, the loosely tied, red hair, a katana leaning against his chest. Yet, there was no scar to be found, because that wasn't exactly who that man was. He gripped his blade hard, his palms sweating. He learned nothing. After all these years of training with Hiko Seuijuuro, the same man his father learned from. And what did he learn? Nothing. He felt useless. How could he surpass his father when he was defeated by just Yahiko? He couldn't stand it! Kenji bit his lower lip and clenched his eyes tightly. He grunted and then swallowed uneasily. It was pointless and now he had to spend time here with his family. It wasn't that he didn't love them, it was just... he didn't want to be known only as his father's son. The trademark crimson hair told everyone he was Kenshin's son. He couldn't hide it from anyone and they even called him a Kenshin clone. When he was little, all he wanted to do was be like his dad, he even played with the painted brushes and made an X shaped scar on his left cheek. Now all he wanted to do was wipe away those memories. All he wanted was to be acknowledged as Kenji, not Kenshin's Son, or Kenshin's Clone. What was he? Some massed produced thing that symbolized his father automatically? Was he born with no identity? He got up stiffly from his concealing corner; the sound of his feet against the ground shook the delicate wood framed windows, startling Megumi who was talking to Tsumbame.  
"Where are you going Kenji?" Megumi eyed him worryingly; her palms were resting in the lap of her plum kimono. It was plain, but it gave the elegance that Megumi used to fool those from her true personality. Everyone was uneasy; it seemed the whole Kenshin-gumi was dying out.  
"I don't know... out... for a walk." Kenji tightened his muscles, shaking slightly as more and more tension grew inside of him. He was in no mood to converse.  
"You know your mother is very worried about you... you shouldn't leave for too long. She'll be back soon, and your father will join us as well." Megumi tried to give a reassuring smile, not understanding that that was the last thing Kenji ever wanted to hear. He nodded and didn't dare turn around, otherwise he would lash at her and he would never return. Before he could make that decision in the first place, he saw his weak mother stumble to the door, panting, tears streaming from her eyes.  
"Ke...kenshin.... Ke...nshin is...." She started to fall to her knees, her eyelids falling limply over her sorrowful brown eyes.  
""What!?" Kenji questioned urgently, gripping onto his mother's shoulders. Kaoru sunk to her knees falling against Kenji. Her cheeks were flushed; her hands shook as they gripped onto her son's Yukata for support.  
"Your... father... died..." She said in a softer whisper, her tears streamed harder as she spoke those agonizing words. "He is near... the cherry blossom trees... Sano's there too..." At once, Kenji spun around,  
"Megumi... take mom... I need to go and get my...fa-... Kenshin..." Kaoru, upon hearing that grew saddened, her eyes turning a bit towards Kenji. Megumi ran over and helped Kaoru work her way back to her bed. It was amazing how two strong people could become so weak so easily and how aging was the true enemy of the strong.  
With desperate speed Kenji pushed past Megumi and started to dart down the grimy road of the meek town. His steps were fast like his father's even at his young age. The dust formed clouds throughout the street, causing uproars to follow Kenji, but he was too quick. He reached the blossoms, the pink petals that would be considered elegant and gentle, did not appear that way to him. They were just nuisances that got in his way. As he held his hands in front of his azure eyes, he came across the near bearded, shaggy-haired Sanosuke who had also grown old. Over his shoulder he had swung Kenshin. His usual energetic grin was replaced by a remorseful and pitying look. He tried to give a weak smile. Sano understood that this destiny would be best for Kenshin, but he couldn't stop the small tears that still forced their way out. It was nice to know though, that his friend died the best way he could, in the arms of his wife, his true love. He looked to Kenji and gave a lowly sigh,  
"Sorry kid."  
Kenji looked at his father's limp body, he shook, of confusion. How could he be mad at a person who was dead, yet he couldn't feel sad. Instead, he forgot about everything that had happened... everything.  
"Let's... go back..." Sanosuke finally heave a sigh and he started to walk back to Kaoru's house. Kenji's eyes followed Sanosuke, but not his body. It had happened so sudden, and now he wasn't so sure he was going to do now that his father was gone. Would he be forced to be with his mother till the day she also died? He didn't want to... his emotions were still cold as ice and he would not move from his position. This was a test, he thought stubbornly, this was just a cruel test to see how I would react to my father's death, to see if I would still be okay with begin his replacement.  
"Kenji...." An eerie voice giggled from behind a tree. His head snapped with a twitch of irritability. His eyes darted to the reflection of his own vibrant hair in the blade of a kunai; the rest of the person's body was covered by a tree trunk. His eyes narrowed as his hand instinctively gripped onto the handle of his katana. He still hated the fact that his father passed down the reverse blade sword down to Yahiko instead of him. Maybe that was another reason that he hated him. He always felt secondary to Yahiko. The person took a step forward and then turned to face Kenji. The blossoms fell heavier than before to the point where it was almost impossible to make out the person. All he could tell was that it was a girl about the same age as him, but the aura she gave off chilled him. What did she want?  
"Who goes there?" He called out, fear was non existent in her voice, but evident in his actions.  
"If you want to really make use of yourself... meet me here in a week, you might not return ever... but you will find yourself taking on the destiny that you are truly worthy of. Tell no one of our meeting but..." In a split second, the kunai darted from her hand to a centimeter before Kenji's feet. He stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet. She simply giggled,  
"What a queer boy you are... you do not have the same feel as your father... your destiny is a much different course... but if you choose to trust me, and you have the right to not and not leave your family... well... throw this kunai at the tree when the sun fully sets. I will come out knowing it is you. Now, pick it up..." Kenji obediently did so, he didn't really think about if he was just following orders or not. The secluded feeling their conversation gave off, put him into somewhat of a trance.  
"Now go." She commanded and he did, racing all the way back home.  
  
*****  
  
Authoress: Okay... so far, predictable scenario, and so on, but oh feh! We all know what Kenji's going to do! After all, when you are a teen, your actions are pretty predictable... Sorry for the grammatical mistakes... I'm a lazy editor... and my lack of sleep definitely won't improve the situation...  
  
Kaoru: Making me a weakling... HUH? HOW DARE YOU!!!  
  
Authoress: You can't threaten the authoress... it's not logical... in theory...  
  
Kaoru: *eyes glint* Watch me... *chases after Authoress swinging sword violently*  
  
Authoress: Once I figure out a way to get out of this mess Chapter 2 will be out! *dodges a swing* Ack! Hope it won't take to long...  
  
Kaoru: Dammit, stay still!!! 


End file.
